Let Me See How You Burlesque
by 14CookiesGone
Summary: A/U. When Sam is drawn to an exotic dancer, he's suprised to find that it's a male that catches his attention. The only trouble is, the dancer likes him too, and Sam just doens't know how to react.
1. Chapter 1

Sam kept his eyes trained on the stage as he shook another fancy sounding cocktail for another rich and successful businessman, who maybe wasn't so successful in relationships. Even though he saw the performances on a day to day basis, there was always something slightly different about each act. He loved his job, because his favourite activity was people watching. So not only was he privy to the lives of the performers, but also to those of the clientele that came through the doors. After clearing his current order of drinks, Sam moved along the bar to give himself a better vantage point. He enjoyed watching the next number, because it involved both male and female dancers, a feat which was quite unseen in the business. But, unlike most of the clients, he wasn't watching it for the female dancers. He was watching the males. Well, one male in particular. Gabriel.

Sam did not identify as homosexual in any way, which is why it came as a shock to him when he found himself drawn to the golden eyed dancer. However, there was just something different about him that had Sam intrigued. Unlike the rest of the male dancers, Gabriel was different. When he performed, he seemed to stand out from the others, and Sam could hardly tear his eyes away. Gabriel almost seemed to know it, too, and would often send glances in the bartenders' direction whilst he was on stage. Sam blushed at the thought, scanning the length of the bar for any customers, before turning his attention back to the stage. The music had started and the dancers were in position, but Sam wasn't focused on those already on the stage. His eyes were trained on the left hand wing, where he knew that Gabriel would be waiting ready to come on. Though Sam knew that Gabriel's appearance was not until about a minute into the routine, he couldn't help but keep his eyes trained on the spot. He had to look away briefly in order to fill out an order for one of the customers, but his attention returned to the stage just in time to see Gabriel leap forth and gather one of the female dancers around the waist and spin her round. Sam couldn't help but smile at how effortless the male dancer made it seem. In his mind, Sam pictured Gabriel putting his strength to other uses, which made him shake his head in disbelief. Sam decided that he needed to go out more, and meet some new people. Preferably people of the opposite sex. Tearing his eyes away from the routine on the stage, Sam paced the length of the bar like a caged lion, keeping his eyes directed firmly away from Gabriel.

* * *

Gabriel could see Sam watching him from behind the bar, and he smirked slightly to himself. He knew that Sam didn't know that he knew about Sam's observations. It hadn't been Gabriel himself that noticed it, but rather Gabriel's dance partner. However, now that his attention had been drawn to the fact, Gabriel couldn't help but pick Sam out every time he went out onto the stage to perform. In fact, the tall, long-haired bartender was probably the easiest person for Gabriel to pick out from under the stage lights, because he would always stand in the same place for each of the numbers that Gabriel danced in. Gabriel relished the attention of the bartender, because he felt he always put on a better show when he knew that someone was watching him specifically. Most of the patrons came to the club for the girls, though there were a few who came for the males. However, they were a select few, and not the sort the Gabriel would naturally see himself pursuing. Sam, on the other hand was a different matter. Gabriel always performed better knowing that Sam was there. He used it as an incentive to impress. It had been a long time since Gabriel had had anyone to impress, and he loved the idea that he could possibly win the attention of the other man. Gabriel also knew something that Sam himself didn't know, though he would have to leave the bartender to figure it out for himself in order to not scare him off. Gabriel knew that Sam had deeper feelings for him than he would like to admit.

At the end of his number, Gabriel noticed that Sam was not standing in his normal vantage point at the end of the bar, but rather was pacing the length of it impatiently. It was unusual for Sam to be pacing, because - though he liked not to admit it - Gabriel knew Sam's routine as well as he knew his own. Gabriel frowned as he began to leave the stage, and made a mental note to pop out to the bar area after he had removed his costume and make-up to check on the bartender. Though Gabriel barely ever ventured out into the main part of the club, there was the odd occasion when he felt the need to get a little bit closer to Sam when he'd had a particularly hard night. He'd never approached the taller man though, but rather chose a stool at the other end of the bar. Funnily enough, the times that Gabriel sat at the bar, casually chatting to the other bartender, Castiel, Sam would keep his distance. This time, however, Gabriel would make a concerted effort to draw Sam into conversation. Not only was it something that Gabriel desired, he believed it would help Sam as well. Either that or it would stress him out so much that he would melt down. He was willing to take the risk though, so as soon as he was more appropriately dressed, he crossed the threshold of the dressing room and into the club, with his fingers crossed in his pocket for good luck.

Even as he approached the bar, Gabriel kept his eyes trained on the way Sam would serve somebody, and then resume his restless pacing. When the taller man stopped briefly, Gabriel sat down right in front of him.

"Whiskey, and double it," he said, with a slight smirk. "And get yourself something as well. You look as if you could do with a stiff one." Sam almost choked at the intended double meaning of Gabriel's words, though he swiftly recovered and pulled two tumblers from under the bar, and pouring a double into each glass. Gabriel took his from the bar and regarded it for a moment. Sam however downed his in one mouthful and went to move away.

"You know, Sam, normally when someone buys you a drink, it's common courtesy to stay for a bit of a chat." Sam placed his glass down carefully on the bar, and regarded the golden eyed man for a moment before speaking.

"It's a busy night," he said lamely, before noticing that there was literally nobody else wanting to order a drink. Gabriel smirked again.

"I'm sure," he said with a chuckle. "What's eating you, anyway? You've paced the length of this bar so many times; I'm surprised you haven't worn a hole in the lino." Sam watched Gabriel take a mouthful of his drink before responding.

"Just life getting to me," he replied, looking away from the dancer and self consciously smoothing his hair down. Gabriel watched the motion with fascination.

"I can see that," Gabriel muttered, resigning himself to the fact that Sam was not going to open up at all to him. "Can I get you another?" He motioned the empty glass that Sam was fiddling with. Sam looked up and smiled briefly.

"Oh why not?" Sam poured another two doubles, and chinked his glass against Gabriel's. "Cheers."

* * *

At the end of the night as Sam was leaving the club, he noticed that Gabriel was frantically searching his pockets by the side of his car. Before he could even think through what he was doing, he approached the shorter man.

"Having trouble?" he asked, finding slight amusement when the dancer jumped about a mile in the air as he was addressed. Gabriel looked up at Sam through a dishevelled fringe.

"I think I've left my damn keys inside the dressing room, which means that I can't get into my car OR my flat." Sam smiled sympathetically. He knew that now the club was locked, there would be no way for Gabriel to get back inside until the next evening. The manager didn't like having to wait around for anybody who had to go back into the building, and he certainly hated having to come back and unlock it for any of his forgetful employees. Luckily, though, most of them had someone they could catch a ride with in the eventuality that keys were left inside. Sam was torn between offering Gabriel a ride and a place to crash, and leaving him in the car park waiting for a cab. But Sam knew that if the situation was reversed, Gabriel would offer him a ride without hesitation.

"I can give you a ride," he said hesitantly, gauging the smaller man's reaction carefully.

"I'm sure you could," Gabriel smirked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Sam blushed slightly and turned away.

"Th-that's not what I meant," he stammered, eyes dropping to inspect the tarmac around Gabriel's feet.

"I know, Sammy," Gabriel replied, placing a hand onto the taller man's bicep. "I appreciate the offer though, except I haven't got anywhere to stay." Though Sam was sure Gabriel wasn't aware of it, there seemed to almost be a hint of desperation in the dancer's words, almost as if he was waiting for Sam to offer him a place to crash. And that's exactly what Sam did.

"I've got a fold out couch," Sam mumbled, looking at Gabriel from the corner of his eye. "I couldn't leave you out here all night. There's talk of rain." Gabriel opened his mouth as if to protest, but upon seeing the way Sam was becoming slightly embarrassed; he closed it again, nodding.

"Thank you, Sam. Just know that if the situation was reversed, I'd do the same for you."

"I'm sure you would."

When Sam pulled up in front of his house, Gabriel let out a low whistle of appreciation. Sam blushed slightly, getting out of the car to avoid any more awkwardness. The journey hadn't been silent thanks to the quiet music coming from the radio, but the two men hardly exchanged a word; and Sam could just feel the tension building in the car. Gabriel followed suit, and came round the car to follow Sam up the paved pathway. The front garden was slightly overgrown, but Sam never had the energy or motivation to deal with it. Gabriel, on the other hand, thought that the garden gave the house more character, though he did not voice his thoughts to the other man. While Sam unlocked the front door, Gabriel hung back and glanced around nervously. It wasn't usually in his nature to be nervous, but something about Sam and the whole situation made him recoil inside himself a little.

"Come on in," Sam said, when he had unlocked the door. Stepping aside to let Gabriel past, Sam felt his eyes follow the smaller man, despite him making no effort to watch him. He shut and bolted the door, before observing Gabriel hovering awkwardly in the doorway to the living room. Sam gestured him through, and followed a little way behind.

"I'm impressed, Sam," Gabriel said, surveying the room, eyes taking in every detail. Sam mumbled thanks, watching the smaller man nervously as he walked over to the mantelpiece to examine the pictures there.

"The bathroom is the second door along the hall upstairs, if you want to wash up, or anything," Sam mumbled slightly. "I'll get you some blankets, and something to sleep in." Leaving Gabriel in the room, Sam hurried up the stairs to the cupboard where he kept all the spare blankets. He could hear Gabriel following a little way behind, and Sam buried his head in the cupboard so as to avoid any more conversation. Only when he heard the lock on the bathroom door click, did he retreat from the cupboard and head into his bedroom to grab an old pair of tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt, before going back downstairs.

Sam had just finished making up the bed when Gabriel appeared back in the doorway, his shirt unbuttoned to the waist, hanging open enough to give Sam a slight view of his abs. Sam almost stumbled over the end of the bed, mostly because he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sliver of skin on show. He mentally chastised himself for being completely ridiculous, and offered the small pile of clothes to Gabriel.

"They might be a bit big," he began. "But they'll be more comfortable than a shirt and those trousers." Gabriel took the clothes from Sam, before shrugging the shirt off his shoulders. He pulled on Sam's shirt, before he reached to undo the button on his trousers. Sam didn't know whether to turn away or leave the room, so he floundered for a minute, before looking away. Gabriel chuckled.

"I've nothing to hide, Sam," he said. "I dance on stage every night in fewer clothes than this, and I've seen you watching the stage." Sam blushed furiously and mumbled an excuse before leaving the room to the sound of Gabriel's laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you, thank you, thank you! for all your reads and follows and favourites and reviews. Considering this is the first SPN fic that I've ever gotten anywhere with, I'm surprised there was a little following for it. I'm just hoping that I can make this live up to your expectations. So, onwards and upwards, let's get on with the show. _

* * *

When Gabriel woke up in the morning, he was confused as to where he was. Rubbing his eyes sleepily, he recalled Sam bringing him home, and automatically reached his arm out to the side to feel for him. When he ended up with a handful of sheets, Gabriel remembered that Sam wasn't like the normal people that took him home. Rolling out of bed, he padded up the stairs, running his hand through his hair in order to try and regain some sort of control over it. Letting himself into the bathroom, he quickly relieved himself before regarding his reflection in the mirror. He still had hair sticking up in all directions, and he smiled slightly as he attempted to flatten it back down. The way it was ruffled reminded Gabriel of nights spent with others, just like his mind had wandered when he first woke up. His attempts at restoring order to it were futile, and he headed back downstairs and into the kitchen. If there was one way that Gabriel could repay Sam's kindness, it was with a mean cooked breakfast and coffee.

After a quick scavenger hunt around the kitchen and in the fridge, Gabriel had found everything he needed in order to start cooking breakfast. Putting a pot of coffee on to brew, he heated up some oil in a pan before putting some sausages and bacon on to cook. Opening a can of baked beans, he dumped them in another pan before cracking some eggs in a third. He started humming to himself as he attended the pans, and didn't notice Sam coming to stand in the kitchen doorway. Gabriel was going through some of his dance routines in his head as he hummed, putting some toast on to cook as he strutted around the kitchen. Sam suppressed a smile as he watched the smaller man making himself completely at home in his kitchen. It was only as Gabriel turned a half pirouette that he noticed Sam standing and watching, and he nearly dropped the frying pan he was carrying in shock.

"Jesus, Sam," Gabriel swore, pressing his free hand to his chest as he stood frozen in the middle of the kitchen. "Give a man a heart attack, why don't you?"

"I didn't mean to scare you," Sam mumbled. "It was just that you looked so at home that I didn't want to disturb you." Gabriel's cheeks coloured with a rare blush.

"I felt that cooking you breakfast was the least I could do for taking me in last night," he explained, turning his attention back to the food and dishing it up onto two plates. He gestured to one of the plates for Sam to take, and then picked up his own and headed over to the small table that was situated in the corner of the table, with the pot of coffee in his other hand.

* * *

Sam was pleasantly surprised with the level of Gabriel's cooking, though his presence still unnerved Sam to the point of mild hysteria at times. Sam was more than willing to help out a friend in need, though he seemed to pick up on something deeper in all of Gabriel's gestures. Sam wasn't entirely sure of Gabriel's intentions, but he knew that it was an alleyway that he didn't want to find himself going down. After finishing eating with Gabriel, he was left to his own devices, because Gabriel had left in order to retrieve his keys from the club. Sam had offered him a lift, though it was declined, because the dancer insisted that Sam had already done enough for him, and he didn't want to inconvenience him further. Sam had opened his mouth to protest, saying that the smaller man was no inconvenience, though he decided against giving Gabriel a sense of false hope and said nothing. However, Sam now had several hours of time to fill before he had to head back to the club to start getting ready for the evening performances. He found it incredibly difficult to focus on anything, and even having the television on as background noise bugged him to the point that he very nearly just swept it off the stand in order to turn it off when he discovered that the remote's batteries were dead.

Several hours later, Sam rolled up to the club's parking lot and scanned the other cars for any sign of the boss's or Gabriel's. He noted that the boss was there, but Gabriel was not, and for some reason, he was slightly disappointed. Shaking his head in disbelief, he grabbed his bag and headed for the door of the club. Sam never arrived at the club in his bartending outfit, preferring to change once he arrived, due to the nature of his 'costume'. He wore a black bowler style hat and a black tank top, paired with black suspenders and waistcoat, and black trousers. It was a general rule of all of the club staff, bar staff included, that the theme of burlesque ran through the whole club. Sam just liked to keep his privacy slightly, hence changing when he arrived, to avoid the questions of his neighbours. Plus the fact, Sam didn't like setting up while he was in his more 'revealing' outfit, partly because he was one of the only straight male employees, but also because he liked to keep his work clothes fresh for the business hours.

"Did you miss me?" Sam heard from behind him, causing him to jump about a foot in the air. He recognised the voice without even turning though.

"I saw you this morning, Gabriel," Sam replied, continuing to polish glasses with his back to the smaller man. "In fact, you left my house at lunch time!" Gabriel chuckled.

"You can't say that I don't have my uses, Sammy," Gabriel flirted shamelessly. If Sam had been watching the dancer, he would have seen the wink he shot to another bartender. Instead, he froze, dropping the glass he was holding. Luckily, it didn't shatter, and merely bounced off the linoleum.

"You cooked me breakfast _Gabe_," Sam muttered through his teeth, bending over to collect the fallen glass. Gabriel took it as an opportunity to openly stare at the perfectly formed rear end that was being presented before him.

"I must say, Sam, you have a most splendid posterior. Definitely something I wish to see more of." Sam grasped the newly retrieved glass so hard that it was taken off of him by one of the other bartenders in fear of Sam smashing it with his bare hands. Gabriel chuckled at the affect he was having on Sam, and deciding that enough was enough, left the taller man to calm down.

* * *

Gabriel sat in the dressing room backstage, regarding himself thoughtfully in the mirror. He wasn't necessarily vain, but he did enjoy spending time on his appearance. He especially needed to for his performance, as though the girls were the main focus of the show, he couldn't be seen to be letting them down. Most of his performance outfits followed the same theme as that of Sam's work outfit, though with more glitter. And with more eye makeup. Gabriel wasn't averse to the makeup, as he saw it more as part of his costume, than something that he would use in real life. However, he was pretty useless at putting it on, and often had to enlist the help of one of the other dancers to avoid injury by eyeliner pencil. He had nearly taken his eye out on so many occasions, that he had seriously considered getting eyeliner tattooed onto his eyelids in order to forgo the daily routine. The major deciding factor which turned him against it was the fact that he wasn't overly keen on being seen outside the club with permanent dark eyeliner. Sighing, he picked up his eyeliner pencil from the dressing table in front of him and started to apply it as best he could.

Taking his position on the stage for his next routine, he could see Sam behind the bar serving a customer as quickly as he could, before moving to one end of the bar where he was slightly hidden from view. Gabriel chuckled slightly; amused by the fact Sam felt the need to hide from his view every time he was on stage. It had been the same all evening, and Gabriel believed that Sam thought it was going un-noticed. He thought that if Sam knew that his hiding spot may have been seen, that he would have chosen a new one. Gabriel was not fooled though, as he seemed to be able to pick Sam out with just a glance in the direction of the bar. He liked to blame it on the fact that Sam stood a good few inches taller than the rest of the other bar staff, but Gabriel knew that he was lying to himself. He had been drawn to the taller man ever since he had first laid eyes on him in the club. The only problem was that Sam was adamant that he was straight, even though Gabriel could tell that Sam was not being one hundred percent truthful with himself. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, Gabriel could not get Sam to even acknowledge the slightest notion that they were interested in each other.

* * *

Sam could see Gabriel watching him from the stage, and he gulped slightly. He thought that he would be hidden from view from where he stood at the far end of the bar, but he'd been mistaken. It was unfortunate for him that his height gave him away slightly as well, and he mentally cursed his genes before stepping back up to his post and serving a waiting patron. Even without looking up at the stage, he could feel Gabriel's eyes upon him, and he turned his back slightly as he shook up another cocktail. As he poured it into the waiting glass, he glanced up to the stage to catch a fleeting glimpse of Gabriel watching him again. He couldn't escape those piercing golden eyes, and yet he seemed to not want to either. Shaking his head to rid himself of the feeling, he continued to serve the seemingly never ending tirade of customers.

After the show, and as Sam was wiping the bar down before closing time, he saw Gabriel approaching him with what seemed like a pained expression on his face.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked Sam, his usually cheerful demeanour sober. Sam nodded an assent and tossed the dishcloth he was using under the bar.

"What's up?" he asked, turning his attention to the stack of washed glasses stacked by the small sink, and began drying them one by one.

"I still feel bad about imposing on you last night, and was wondering if you wanted to go grab a bite to eat, or something," Gabriel said, his eyes focused on the worn wood of the bar, rather than on Sam. Sam raised an eyebrow at the smaller mans seriousness, but made no comment on it.

"Sure, Gabriel," he replied. "Though it was no problem. Just let me finish up here and then I'll grab my stuff and we can go." Sam knew that he would be cutting it fine to finish drying the glasses and change his clothes before the club was due to be locked up, but he also knew that he shouldn't leave the glasses in the state they were in. Making a quick mental calculation, he decided he was just going to have to brave going outside of the club in his works attire. And unluckily for him, it had been a day where he had not brought a jacket due to the muggy nature of the weather. Silently cursing his decision as he continued to dry the glasses, he could feel Gabriel watching his hands as he dried each glass, and he subconsciously started to almost showcase his hands working over the glasses.

When Sam was done and had grabbed his things, Gabriel led them over to his car and gestured for Sam to get in the passenger seat. Sam obliged, with the agreement that Gabriel would drop him off back at the club so that he could pick up his car after eating. Sam marvelled at the leather interior of the car. Thinking back to Gabriel's reaction to his house, Sam assumed that the car was Gabriel's most prized possession, and he wasn't far off the mark. Gabriel wasn't one for huge fancy home comforts, but he did like a nice car. As Gabriel drove to a place where 'they have to best noodles in the whole of the country', Sam watched the flickering lights of the city glide past his window. He barely had the time to appreciate the night lights, considering he was either working or driving while they were turned on. It was nice to just sit back and relax for a moment though. Glancing across at Gabriel, he could tell that the smaller man had done the same.

* * *

_Updates will probably be sporadic and very infrequent, though I will try and keep chapters +wards of 2k words. I've got a vague plan, and this will probably span to about 10 chapters and an epilogue, but we'll just have to see where inspiration takes me. What do you guys think will happen next? Because even if your guess is wrong, you could actually inspire me to include your guesses! Also, I've got another semi worked on story, as well as about 15 starter paragrpahs for other SPN fics, most to all of them AU, so expect all sorts of food for thought from me in the future. Anyway, I've lost the point, this has rambled enough, and it's time to post my chapter and got to sleep because I have to get up soon. _


	3. Chapter 3

Gabriel had felt Sam glancing at him as he drove, and smiled inwardly to himself. He was glad that he was having some sort of affect on Sam, even if the bartender still refused to admit it. Gabriel could see it in the way he spoke and acted. And even if Gabriel couldn't break down Sam's hard outer shell, he saw Sam as a new friend, so all wasn't lost. But Gabriel knew, deep down, that Sam would cave. He didn't know when, and he didn't know what would cause it, but he just knew that Sam would give him a shot. Maybe that was the reason why he still pursued the taller man, Gabriel wasn't sure. He just knew that spending time with Sam was a necessity. Pulling into the parking lot at the diner, he glanced sideways at Sam who was looking incredibly nervous, while trying to wrap his arms around himself.

"What's the matter?" Gabriel asked, genuine concern emanating in his voice. Sam shook his head with a slightly weary smile.

"Nothing, I just don't want to walk in there, dressed like this, with another man." Gabriel used this as an excuse to regard Sam thoughtfully for a moment – as well as to check him out - before turning around to the back seat of his car, and pulling out one of his old, oversized hoodies. He offered the garment to Sam, who smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

"No problem, Sammy," Gabriel replied, before mentally cursing himself for letting the nickname slip out again.

"My mom used to call me Sammy," Sam mused, pulling the hoodie on over his head, and attempting to tug the sleeves down to his wrists, which proved to be futile. Even though the hoodie was oversized on Gabriel, it was still a little bit small on Sam.

"I'm sorry, it just slipped out," Gabriel stammered, in an attempt to save the situation.

"I never said I didn't like it," Sam replied, giving up on making the sleeves stretch, and instead pushing them up to his elbows. "And thanks again for the jumper." Gabriel smiled at Sam, who returned it readily, before the two of them climbed out of the car and headed into the diner.

Despite boasting about how great the noodles were at the diner, Gabriel did not have any. He instead opted for a small pasta dish, though he insisted that Sam tried the noodles. Gabriel was glancing at Sam occasionally across the table they shared, though he would always look away when he noticed that Sam was going to look at him. He was behaving like an overly hormonal teenage girl, and he chastised himself for being so utterly ridiculous. Shaking his head slightly, he was unaware that Sam had noticed the movement.

"What's the matter?" Sam asked, his attention focused on the dancer in front of him. Gabriel hesitated, toying with the idea of telling Sam everything, but decided against it.

"It's nothing, I was just thinking," Gabriel replied, lowering his gaze from the intense stare that Sam was boring into him. Thankfully, Sam let the subject drop, and returned to glancing around the diner at all the other customers. Gabriel noticed that Sam still was wrapping his arms self consciously around himself and he furrowed his eyebrows slightly. Nothing of Sam gave away his slightly more scandalous outfit underneath, and so Gabriel couldn't quite understand the problem. It wasn't as if he had traces of eyeliner around his eyes, or that he hadn't got a jumper on over his works attire. Gabriel just couldn't see the problem.

* * *

Even though Gabriel had lent him the jumper, Sam still felt self conscious that someone would know that underneath it was a very limited outfit. He didn't want them to know what he was dressed like when he was out with Gabriel, even though he thought it to be nothing more than friendship. He knew what people were like in the city, and didn't want to be judged by people who probably actually had more to hide than he did, which was saying something considering he worked as a bartender in a burlesque lounge. He was glad when the food arrived, because it gave him something to do with his hands, considering the hoodie sleeves were too short. Normally, when Sam was uncomfortable in a situation, he would pull his sleeves down to cover his hands in a protective gesture. But when he didn't have sleeves he always struggled, and had to fiddle with something. Sam stared down at the food before him, and half smiled. Gabriel had been right about the noodles, because if they tasted anything like what they smelt like, he would be pretty sure that he had died and gone to heaven. After the first bite, Sam let out an involuntary, almost orgasmic, groan – which then led to Gabriel almost choking on his pasta. Quirking an eyebrow at the dancer, Sam said nothing as he chewed on his food, watching as Gabriel had to take a sip of his drink in order to recompose himself.

"These are the best noodles I've ever tasted," Sam gushed, taking another forkful. "In fact, they're probably the best _thing_ I've ever tasted." Gabriel chuckled.

"You're missing out on things if you say those noodles are the best tasting thing you've had in your mouth, Sammy." It was Sam's turn to choke on his food, and he flushed a deep red as well, the blush spreading across his face and neck. He had to look away from Gabriel who was laughing so hard he was very close to falling out of his seat.

"Very funny, Gabby," Sam said once he had managed to calm down. Hearing his name be _defiled_ in such a way sobered Gabriel up almost instantly.

"Please god, any other name but Gabby. That makes me sound like a hormonal teenage girl." What Sam didn't know was that he already made Gabriel act like a hormonal teenager, but Gabriel wasn't going to let that piece of information slip any time soon.

"Fine then, Gabe." The two men smiled at each other over the table, unbeknownst to the stares that their laughing outbreak had caused.

When Gabriel had suggested that they stayed for dessert, Sam almost astounded himself that he didn't hesitate before agreeing. Something about Gabriel's company made him really relax, and he actually enjoyed spending time with the other man. Sam found it difficult to make new friends, but he was glad that Gabriel had made it seem like a smooth operation. Sam studied the dessert choices on the menu, whereas Gabriel already knew what he wanted to order.

"The melt in the middle chocolate pudding is delightful," Gabriel hinted as Sam continued to peruse the menu. Raising an eyebrow at the smaller man in front of him Sam made no comments, and kept his eyes riveted on the card in front of him. "Though I suppose I could think of something better for dessert."Sam was beginning to get used to Gabriel's suggestiveness, and blatantly ignored his comment.

"I'm torn between an ice cream sundae, and having sticky toffee pudding," Sam mused out loud, half to himself, and half to Gabriel. Then, seeing an opportunity to make the smaller man slightly uncomfortable, he continued. "The sundae comes with these sticky balls, so I might just have to swing that way." Sam didn't how he'd thought of that comment, but he was glad he did, because at that moment, Gabriel had been taking a sip of his drink, and spat it out across the table as he burst into laughter. Sam tried to keep his face straight as the smaller man struggled to regain his composure.

"You'll be the death of me, Sam. You really will."

* * *

Gabriel could hardly keep his eyes off Sam as they ate their desserts. He didn't know whether it was the wayward blob of cream that had remained on the end of Sam's nose for a little while, or the way that Sam would suck on the spoon after every mouthful, but either way, Gabriel was staring. He wasn't sure if Sam had noticed, and if he had, he wasn't sure if Sam minded. But he just couldn't help himself. Normally, Gabriel had some ounce of self control and modesty, but for some reason, Sam had taken it from him and seemingly ripped it to shreds. Despite the fact that he liked chocolate almost as much as he liked life itself, Gabriel had finished his dessert in almost record time in order to spend more time semi-secretly stealing glances at the taller man in front of him. Sam on the other hand was savouring his dessert, paying no attention to Gabriel at all. Since the desserts had arrived, Sam had been mysteriously quiet. Though Gabriel knew that Sam was a quiet man at heart, he had seen another side to Sam that he liked as much as the quiet side; and he strived to make the more playful side come back out. The only trouble was, Gabriel was tongue tied. It didn't happen very often, but when it did, Gabriel called it his curse. It normally only hit when he was extremely nervous around someone whom he was trying to impress, but he wouldn't have said that he was nervous around Sam at all. He had no inhibitions dancing in front of him on an almost nightly basis, and yet for some reason, Sam had taken away all kinds of rational thoughts from him.

Gabriel picked up the check, without even letting Sam reach for his wallet. When Sam opened his mouth to protest, Gabriel cut him off.

"It's the least I could do, Sammy," Gabriel said with a smile. "You really saved my ass last night."

"It was nothing, Gabe, really. I'd just hope that you'd do the same for me if I was ever in that situation." Gabriel shot Sam a shit eating grin.

"I could do the same for you now, Sammy," he flirted, reaching over to catch hold of Sam's fingers. Unfortunately for him, the gesture fell short as Sam retracted his hand before Gabriel's had even half reached him. Gabriel pretended that he had just been stretching, but inside, he was slightly bemused. He thought that Sam had been warming up to him a little bit, but he'd obviously been reading the signs wrong. Undeterred, he attempted to salvage the situation. "Though I suppose you probably want to head back to your place now? I could drive you?" His voice was full of suggestion, but Sam still either ignored it, or was completely oblivious.

"Yeah, but I need to pick my car up still," he replied. "You still okay to drive me back to the club?" Gabriel stared at Sam, his eyes wide with the shock that anybody was so dense that they couldn't pick up on his suggestive tone. He sighed.

"That's fine, Sam. I wouldn't want you to have to call a cab this late. You get a lot of the lunatic drivers."

The ride back to the club was almost as silent as the ride away, though this time for different reasons. Gabriel could feel Sam stealing the odd sidelong glance at him, though there was something different about it. Sam no longer seemed nervous, but he wasn't as open as he had been at the diner. Gabriel was confused, and a little out of his depth. He wasn't used to being the one who had to do all of the work in order to attract someone. Usually, he just had to work a little bit of his charm, and then he had them eating out of the palm of his hand. However, Sam was either incredibly resistant to his charm, or just hadn't noticed it. Gabriel was at a loss of what he could do to try and win over the taller man. Ha was now seeing Sam as a challenge, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing. He didn't want to see Sam as just a conquest; another notch in his bedpost of those who resisted him to begin with, and then eventually gave in. He wanted to see Sam as more than that, but he just couldn't work out how. When they eventually pulled into the parking lot at the club, Sam thanked Gabriel again, before jumping out of Gabriel's car and heading towards his own. Gabriel waited until Sam was safely inside his car before he drove away. It was only when he got home that he realised that Sam was still wearing his hoodie.

* * *

_Well ain't you glad I finally got around to updating. I know, it's been a few days longer than I wanted too. But now I have a plan. I aim to update weekly now, be it either on a Sunday or a Wednesday, I haven't quite made up my mind which yet. On the plus side, I have several other fics on the back burner ie, I have plans for them and just need to start writing.  
_

_I want to thank everyone for their support, be it in the form of favourites, follows, or reviews, or just plain reads. I don't think I would have half the motivation to carry on if it weren't for you guys, so thank you very much. Keep your eyes peeled for more of me and my work. _

_If you have any queries or questions, or just want someone to chat to, drop me a line on here, on twitter (14CookiesGone) or on tumblr (starkidinthestable)_


	4. Chapter 4

_First of all, I would like to say that I'm SO SO sorry that this is like, five days later than expected, but work has been hectic, and all I've wanted to do when I've got in is just curl up on the sofa and do absoloutely nothing. And last weekend I went home and saw friends and family and didn't have time to work on this as planned._

_Also, the chapter's a little bit shorter than I wanted, but I got it to where I wanted it to end, and then even when I went back and edited, I couldn't find the extra words I needed in order for me to hit my personal chapter word count, but whatever. This chapter has just been so difficult for me to write, as I imagine the next few will be too. _

* * *

Sam didn't register the fact that he still had the hoodie that he had borrowed off Gabriel until he got back to his place and started undressing to get into bed. It surprised him; because usually he gave borrowed items back to their owners religiously, and yet, the fact that he still had something of Gabriel's did not bother him in the slightest. He also fought a strange desire to lift the garment to his face and smell it, which was something completely uncharacteristic of him, and more of a thing a crushing teenager would do. And a teenage girl, at that. Pushing the thoughts out of his head, he collapsed face first onto his bed and groaned. Despite the fact that he had actually enjoyed going out for a bite to eat with Gabriel, he now just wanted to push all thoughts of the golden eyed dancer out of his head in order to get a good and full night's sleep.

Though he didn't remember falling asleep, Sam woke late the next morning, his head buried into a mixture of pillows and clothing. He knew almost immediately that it was not all strictly his own clothing that he was leaning on, and he blearily opened his eyes. Mixed in amongst his sleep shirt was the hoodie that he had borrowed off Gabriel, which he didn't remember dropping on his bed last night, though he obviously had. He pushed it aside as he rolled over and off the bed, and then slumped his way into the bathroom, before heading down to the kitchen to brew himself a pot of coffee. Though he didn't really want to admit it to himself, let alone anyone else, he slightly missed the sight of Gabriel in his kitchen, cooking him breakfast. It had been a pleasant thing to wake up to, especially considering that he was not at all a morning person. He didn't often eat breakfast because of this, but he did enjoy eating something as long as he didn't have to prepare it himself. He sighed as he crossed over to the coffee pot and dumped some granules in before adding water and putting it on the hot plate. Rubbing his eyes, he sighed. He had a feeling that it was going to be a long weekend.

Sam spent the better part of the morning just trailing around his house, in a half assed attempt to clean up. He usually kept on top of it, but for some reason he wasn't in the mood to do anything, and rather just ambled around, straightening the couch cushions and putting the blankets the Gabriel had used through the wash. He knew that is was going to be a trying day, especially considering that he couldn't find his favourite pair of jeans. Even though he knew it was irrational, he always liked to know where they were, in case he needed them at any time. They were his favourite jeans for a reason; they clung in all the right places, but still allowed the freedom of movement. So Sam was in a bad mood, and set about finding them, creating more of a mess everywhere than there was to begin with.

* * *

Gabriel slept very restlessly the night after going out to eat with Sam, which bothered him. It bothered him because he did not want to be getting as emotionally attached to the younger man as he was beginning to get. It was disconcerting to him to have Sam hardly stray from his thoughts, and it was starting to get incredibly old, considering he could do nothing about it. At least, he thought that he could do nothing about it. Gabriel wasn't completely out of ideas on how to win Sam over, but he was starting to believe that Sam wouldn't bend his pride enough to give the two of them a chance. He'd known Sam for a few years because of them working in tandem at the club, and Gabriel knew that Sam stood by what he believed in, and what he knew - which certainly wasn't what Gabriel was after in the slightest. He wanted Sam to open his mind to something completely alien to it, which was not going to be an easy task.

That day, Gabriel had to go into the club early. A new routine had been in the works for a few weeks, and the dancers were having a final full dress rehearsal, before they performed it in front of patrons for the first time. To say he was nervous was an enormous understatement. It was also the first time that he would be performing the routine in front of Sam, which was making him more nervous than the thought of performing it in front of a packed club. He wouldn't say that he was trying to impress Sam with his part in it, but he didn't want to mess up either. He knew it was stupid, but he was putting a lot of pressure on himself to get it one hundred percent right during rehearsals, so that it would seem effortless when performing it later. Though there had been new routines added to the show before, Gabriel had never put that much significance on them due to the fact that Sam had been a mere wish of a dream, rather than an eventual possibility.

* * *

Sam was running late. He hated being late, and it caused him a great deal of stress. He liked being at the club a little before his shift was due to start, so that he had time to change, as well as to watch the last rehearsals before opening. However, that day he was not going to be at the club on time for final rehearsals, which irritated him even more. He barely had time to settle behind the bar before the doors were open and customers started coming in. He sighed to himself, and turned to the first couple that approached him, knowing that once the incoming rush died down, he'd have a little bit more time to himself. Though it was a reasonably busy club, once the show started in earnest, people didn't rush the bar, and rather came in dribs and drabs, giving Sam chance to take stock of everything again. He liked the lulls that came in serving, because he liked to watch not only the show, but also watch the patrons watching the show. He liked to see their reactions to the routines, whether they were new customers or returning ones. There always seemed to be something different to watch, and Sam liked that.

Hearing the opening beat of a new tune, Sam looked up from where he was stacking the shot glasses under the counter. He could see dancers already in position on the stage, and a quick scan of them showed that Gabriel was in the line up. Sam felt himself smiling, and quickly busied himself wiping the bar, pretending that he wasn't watching, even though he was. Despite taking in the other dancers and the costumes, Sam's eyes were drawn back to Gabriel, and the two of them locked eyes briefly, before Sam looked away, embarrassed. He could still feel Gabriel's eyes on him though, and glanced back up to find that though Gabriel was well into the routine of the dance, he still would keep glancing back at the bar. Sam couldn't believe how well Gabriel was keeping his focus on the two completely different aspects, but as the song finished, Sam could see Gabriel gauging his reaction, and he found himself nodding and smiling. Gabriel almost looked relieved at Sam's gesture, and made his way off the stage a lot more relaxed at how he had entered it.

From time to time, the dancers would come through into the bar area and mingle with the customers. It wasn't often that Gabriel would come through though, but Sam found that he actually looked forward to seeing Gabriel up close in his dance outfit. He dismissed the thought on the grounds that he'd become a bit more friendly with the shorter man, but deep down, he half thought that there was something more there. When he heard the back room door open for a second time, he saw Gabriel emerge, with a shirt over his dance clothes. The dancer approached him, and Sam smiled.

"What did you think to the new routine?" Gabriel asked, and Sam could sense the nervousness in the words. He poured Gabriel a shot and slid it over the bar before replying.

"It was great," he said simply. "I can't believe how well the choreography went with the beat of the song. You guys must have been working on that number for weeks." Sam could almost see Gabriel's ego grow, but he found that he didn't mind.

"It's been hard keeping it under wraps for so long, but I think it was well worth the wait." Gabriel downed the shot and continued. "It's nice to be able to be part of a new routine. The girls have new routines almost every week, but a new combined, or a new all male one only comes around maybe once a month. We just take what we can get, sometimes."

"Well, then I guess that's just something I'll have to learn to wait for," Sam replied, surprising the both of them at the words that had escaped.

* * *

When he had finished his drink with Sam, Gabriel headed back to the dressing room. He was technically done for the night, but he always hung around right until the last routine, in case there was any changes made to the set list, or if he had to step in and take anyone else's place. Everyone knew all of the routines – it was mainly precautionary in case of sudden illness or injury, but swaps were sometimes made if there had been an issue earlier in the show. There was supposed to be a positive attitude between all the dancers, but rivalries often ran sky high, though it was less noticeable in the males' room. Gabriel sat in his dressing area; his back turned to the mirror, and picked at the dead skin round his fingers. He couldn't shake a thought that had popped into his head as he had sat at the bar, and he was glad that there was nobody in the back to bother him while he sat and contemplated what had made him come up with his crazy idea in the first place. He knew that it was stupid and reckless, and yet he half thought that it would be worth the risk it posed. He sighed, and spun on his chair to face the mirror.

"Don't be ridiculous, Gabriel," he chastised himself. "This is possibly the worst idea you've ever had." But despite him trying to talk himself out of it, he knew that he was going to do it anyway. It was like the last biscuit in the packet, or that extra slice of chocolate cake; you didn't need it, and you knew that you shouldn't, but you just had to eat it anyway. It was decided, at least in a sense. He was going to kiss Sam.

* * *

_Please bear with me with any updates. For the next month/month and a half, I will be getting up early (like, 4.30am) three times a week, and so I will be incredibly tired and ratty all the time, and probably wont want to be finding time for this story. But don't despair! I'll still be writing, but my updates may take a little bit longer than expected. Hopefully I'll still be able to get a chapter out per fortnight, but if that changes, I'll let you know. _


	5. Chapter 5

_By popular demand, some Dean and Cas involvement. I know it all seems out of place, but all will be explained over the next few chapters. Once again, I'm sorry that it's a bit short, but when I get to a place I want the chapter to end, I don't like to keep adding stuff. I even went back and added in a whole new paragraph to this to try and bulk it out, but I still fell a little short of my 2k goal. But I hope that what is to follow will make up for it a little bit. _

_I'd like to thank everyone who reviews, follows or has favourited this story so far, and I'd like you to know that you do motivate me to write more, but work has literally got hold of me by the ass and I'm so tired all the time I struggle to find the will to dedicate enough quality time in order to get this to go where I want it to. But on the plus side, I have 3/4 of a one shot written now as well, so keep your eyes peeled for that for when this is finished._

* * *

Sam had a crap shift. The work was slow, and there was the added factor that Gabriel had few routines to distract him from his boredom. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy watching the other routines, but he preferred it when Gabriel was there as well. He had been surprised that Gabriel had disappeared backstage, considering that he had no more routines left. But Sam had a feeling that the smaller man had a lot on his mind, which was why he had disappeared so quickly after drinking with Sam. He started washing up early, because there were so few people in the club. The other bartender on shift, Castiel, raised his eyebrows at Sam's behaviour, but said nothing. Sam had deliberately turned his back on the rest of the room, because of his mood. It wasn't good for the clientele to see anyone having less than a good time, and it wasn't fair on Castiel to leave him on his own, so he just stopped serving the customers.

Though he wasn't actively making an effort to talk to the customers, Sam was unable to tune out of their conversations completely. Normally, he enjoyed listening to people chatter aimlessly, or moan about their jobs or relationships, he wasn't in the right mindset, and instead he just became more and more frustrated at them. He usually held good advice for problems, or at least that's what he was told, but anybody who tried to get him to listen to their problems got such a black look that they eventually started leaving him alone. Instead of helping him, though, it only succeeded in putting him in an even worse mood than before. He considered cutting his losses and heading off, but something else besides duty seemed to be keeping him behind the bar, even if he wasn't enjoying his work like he normally would.

At the end of the night, Sam was too tired to change before leaving the club, so instead he just went to grab his bag from the back. He was still being shadowed by his dark mood, and didn't speak to anyone as he walked through the club. He barely noticed the steady flow of other employees leaving, and especially didn't notice that Gabriel wasn't amongst them as normal. He nodded slightly in the direction of the stage manager, Dean, as he passed, though he made no attempt at conversation. He did not often cross paths with the stage manager, but they were on cordial terms due to the close knit nature of the club. When he came back out of the locker room, Dean motioned him over.

"You don't look so great," he commented. "Are you coming down with anything?" Sam shook his head.

"Just feeling a little bit run down, that's all. I got a lot on my mind." Dean nodded in sympathy.

"If you ever need an ear, you know anyone here would help, right?"

"I know," Sam answered. "It's just, personal, y'know? I gotta deal with it on my own." Dean placed his hand briefly on Sam's shoulder.

"You can't live life alone, Sam. You gotta let people in sometimes." With that, he let Sam go, and the bartender headed out of the club, even more confused than he had been when he'd started his shift at the start of the evening.

* * *

Gabriel wasn't waiting for Sam. At least, that's what he told himself. But as he sat in the driver's seat of his car in the club car park; he didn't feel the need to drive away. He couldn't bring himself to leave, and he didn't think that he would be able to get out of the car and confront the bartender either. He wanted to turn the key in the ignition and drive away, ignoring all of the stupid thoughts that he'd had throughout the evening. But something was stopping him. He grasped the steering wheel tightly as he watched the other staff filing out of the club in groups of two or three. Sam was one of the last to leave, and he was alone, carrying his bag and still wearing his works outfit. Gabriel's breath hitched slightly in his throat, and his hands involuntarily reached for the door handle. Before he could stop himself, he was crossing the parking lot in Sam's direction.

"Sam, wait up!" Gabriel called as he approached the taller man. He couldn't help but admire Sam's body underneath his form fitting outfit, and he had to tell himself to focus before he lost any remaining nerve and turned tail. Sam turned to face him, and he nearly cut and run at the look the he received. Gabriel guessed that he had probably picked the worst night in the week to make his move, but he felt that he was already too far invested in his plan to stop now. He just decided to change his tactics slightly instead. "Are you okay, man?" Sam seemed almost shocked that Gabriel had asked about his general welfare, and Gabriel couldn't understand why Sam reacted in such a way.

"I'm fine, Gabe. I've just got a lot of stuff on my mind," Sam sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in a slightly nervous, slightly annoyed gesture. "Nothing I can't handle, though." He chuckled slightly, though Gabriel could see that the mirth didn't reach his eyes. Gabriel was becoming more and more nervous. He was undeniably nervous, to the point of breaking out into a slight sweat. So much so that he was considering backing down from his plan before he had even given it a chance. He didn't know what it was about Sam that made him this way, but he forced it back down. He was going to kiss Sam right then if it damn near killed the both of them.

* * *

Sam could see panic rising in Gabriel's face as the two of them stood in the car park, but he couldn't for the life of him work out why. He had never seen the smaller man so nervous. Sam could see Gabriel's hands almost shaking, and he felt a funny urge to reach out and take them to steady them, though he didn't act upon it. Gabriel took a step closer to him, and before he had a chance to register what was going on, the dancer had brought his hands up to clasp Sam's cheeks and stood up on his tip-toes, pressing his lips firmly to Sam's. Sam was shocked to say the least, and froze solid. Gabriel had pulled back from Sam before he could react in any way, and his cheeks were flushed a violent pink. Sam was stunned, barely aware that Gabriel's hands were still pressing lightly on his cheeks. He looked down at the smaller man, and could see him watching him expectantly.

"I have to go," Sam mumbled, pulling away from Gabriel's grasp, and stumbling towards his car in his haste to get away. He ignored Gabriel's attempts to call him back, or to explain, and merely hopped into the driver's seat and sped out of the car park.

It was a miracle that Sam made it home safely that night. His speed was reckless, and he paid little heed to the other vehicles on the road. When he pulled up in front of his house, he was almost surprised at where he was. He had driven back on auto pilot, not paying attention to where he was exactly, but knowing the destination. He switched off his engine and just sat, listening to the sound of silence outside the car. He rested his head on the steering wheel, and shut his eyes. He'd known that Gabriel was at least half interested in him, or at least, he'd had some sort of idea. But he hadn't encouraged it, had he? Sam grimaced, and sat up, exiting the car and heading into his house. As he walked, he replayed all of the last few days in his head, and though he'd made the odd comment in passing, he didn't see it as enough to prompt anyone into action as it had with Gabriel. He was half starting to wish that he had left Gabriel in the car park the night that the dancer had left his keys in the club.

Sam couldn't sleep. Not only had he had a crap shift at work, he was now struck with a bout of insomnia, half caused by the fact he couldn't switch his brain off after Gabriel's kiss, and half because his head was pounding more often and harder than the club band's drummer would on his bass drum. Even though he had taken some pills for it, they didn't even take the edge off the pain, and so he lay in bed tossing and turning. He smiled darkly to himself, seeing his pain and inability to sleep as just the way to round off his awful day. Rolling onto his side, he stared out of the slight gap in his curtains to the starry night sky outside. If he was going to be awake, he might as well have a bit of a view to look at.

* * *

Gabriel was cursing himself. He hadn't even thought of the possibility that Sam would flee from him in such a manner, without giving him a chance to explain. Not that he would have been able to explain it without coming across as a complete weirdo, but he would have given it a shot had he been given the chance. He was slightly worried about Sam, because of the rate that he had left the scene, and he knew that the taller man's thoughts would be racing, proving to be not only a danger to himself, but to the other road users as well. Gabriel sighed as he sat in the driver's seat of his car, still in the parking lot of the club. He didn't feel like driving anywhere anytime soon, and so he sat in the darkness, watching the cars flit past on the road in front of him. He was the last one at the club, which he was quite glad about, because he didn't want to face anyone after what had just transpired. He slid his phone from his pocket and scrolled through the names absently. He hovered over Sam's number, before flicking back to the top of the list. There was maybe one person who could help him now; it was just a case of getting them on his side.

Gabriel pulled up in front of a well-lit semi in the outskirts. Shutting off his engine, he took a deep breath before getting out of the car and heading up to the front door. He knocked, and waited. He was stressed, and though he wasn't as nervous as he had been when he was around Sam, it was almost a close second. The door was opened, and he smiled.

"Gabriel." It was all he needed to hear to know that he had made the right choice.

"Cas," he replied. "I really need your help. I think I fucked up. Big time."


	6. Chapter 6

_So okay, I majorly suck because I haven't update in what seems like fucking forever, but hear me out. I have literally been nonstop working and having early mornings and all that and I'm just wiped. I've been working on this on and off all this last week because we've finally settled into a routine now at work where I'm not up at four am twice a week. So then I just finished this about twenty minutes ago, only to find out the the hotspot Internet I use on my laptop is fucked and I can't connect to the Internet, so I then had to sync the doc to my iPad and then copy and paste it here, and to cut a long story short, I hope you appreciate the extra half an hour I've stayed awake to post this from the iPad because I'm shattered. _

_But anyway, do whatever, and I'll let you into a little secret. I had two reviews while I was not working on this, and they did motivate mKeep keep going. So if you think I'm flagging, send me a line, because they do actually make me feel appreciated and loved, and that you guys actually care about my AU Sabriel. _

* * *

The first thing Sam did the next morning when he got up was to phone in sick. He needed some time away from the club in order to get some distance from Gabriel, and also to get some perspective of the whole situation for himself. He told himself that he wasn't necessarily avoiding Gabriel, but he wasn't really fooling himself. He didn't want to see the dancer, half in the fear of what might happen, and half because he knew that the other man would want answers. And answers were something that Sam didn't think he would be able to give.

When Sam got antsy, he cleaned. He didn't know why, but it was just a nervous compulsion of his. He wasn't normally that tidy, so when it came to times like this, he relished the challenge of tackling a big job. He used it as an excuse to clear his head as well, because he could play his music loudly, and just lose himself in the monotony of tidying up. He dug his phone out of his pocket and plugged it into the stereo, hitting play and cranking up the volume, before starting his task.

* * *

When Gabriel awoke, he was disorientated. Not only was he not in a bed, he was not in his own house. He was lying on an unfamiliar couch and staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. He vaguely recalled coming to see Castiel last night, though he didn't think that he had stayed long enough to warrant crashing on his couch, though that was the only explanation he could come up with. As he started to wake up properly, he began remembering his conversation with Cas. He rubbed his eyes as he replayed the scene in his mind.

_"I really need your help. I think I fucked up. Big time." Castiel opened the door wider to allow him to step through.  
"What is it, Gabriel?" Cas asked, his brow furrowed with worry. Gabriel gave a half smile. Cas was always so willing to help anyone in need and he was glad that he knew the darker haired man enough to class him as a friend in these situations._

_"Well, I don't really know where to start, but I suppose the beginning is always a good place." He chuckled nervously. "Well, you've probably noticed that I've had my eye on Sam for a little while?" As he trailed off slightly, Castiel nodded, leading the way into his lounge.  
"I must admit that I had noticed that," he replied evenly.  
"Well, I accidentally left my keys in the club one night, and Sam offered to give me a place to crash, and then the next night I took him out just to say thanks, and I noticed that he was nervous around me. I took it as a sign, y'know? He would always pay attention to me in the club, even I could see that from the stage, so I imagine you noticed it working with him behind the bar."  
"He was always more attentive to the stage when you were performing, it's true," Cas commented when Gabriel paused momentarily. "And he would slope off to the end of the bar so that he couldn't be bothered by any of the customers."  
"Yeah, and anyway, he was starting to flake out on me, and not really see what was happening between us, and I sort of might have kissed him?" Gabriel could feel the creep of a blush of shame rising in his cheeks and he had to turn his gaze away from Cas to the floor. "I know it was a stupid thing to do but I just couldn't help myself. And he just ran. Like, I was expecting that reaction, but I think I hoped that it was a little bit different. I daren't see him." Gabriel got up and paced the length of the room, running his hands through his hair nervously.  
"Well, you certainly seem to have jumped in at the deep end," Cas said evenly. "I think the best thing you can do is just let Sam have a bit of space. Even though you've known about your feelings for a while, you've sprung the idea upon Sam. It'll probably be really difficult for him to adapt. Even though I have _

_seen him watching you, I don't think he himself knows what he is feeling in this situation." Gabriel nodded thoughtfully.  
"I guess you're right, Cas," he replied with a sigh. "I just wish I hadn't thrown myself in at the deep end here. I should have let bygones be bygones and gone with the flow. I just feel like I could have messed up the chance of any potential friendship between us now as well."  
"Give him some time, and just hope for the best."_

Gabriel got up and wrote a quick note for Castiel, thanking him for letting him crash on the couch, and for the advice. He left the house quietly, locking the door and posting the key back through the letterbox behind him. He was going to take Cas's advice and give Sam some time; even if it wasn't something that he felt he could manage. He did think that Sam deserved it after the way he had acted towards him though.

* * *

Sam somehow managed to get tidied up pretty quickly, despite the fact that it was a major task. Because of his fretting, he worked quicker, which then meant that he was left with a metric shit ton of nervous energy, and nothing to do with it. He wasn't the sort of person who could calm themselves with a workout, and he found that watching TV didn't work for him either, as he could never stop thinking long enough to become absorbed in crap daytime television. He ended up pacing his living room like a caged lion on the prowl, unable to settle his mind at all. He now regretted calling in sick, but he knew if he called back, they would tell him just to get some rest and that they'd see him tomorrow, no matter how he was feeling.

The feeling of confusion was one that Sam was not completely comfortable with. He was familiar with it; however, he just didn't enjoy being confused. And Gabriel had befuddled him to the point that he barely knew if he was coming or going. He didn't know whether keeping his problems to himself was helping either, but he also didn't feel that he had anyone that he could unload his problems to in order to get advice. He considered calling up his mom, but almost immediately rejected the idea due to the fact that she was more homophobic than anyone else he had come across. Sam knew what her advice would be, and he just wasn't in the mood to listen to her telling him to go and confess his 'sins' to some priest that he'd never even heard of. He then thought back to the brief conversation he'd had with Dean the previous evening, about how anybody at the club would lend an ear if he so needed it. He knew it was true, he just needed to think of someone that he could trust. And then it dawned on him.

Sam called Castiel the moment he got his number off Dean. Though Sam could have spilt his troubles to Dean, he felt that he had a closer relationship with the other bartender. It wasn't that he didn't trust the stage manager; he just didn't feel as comfortable around him as he did around Cas. Cas had seen him in pretty much all his glory the night his pants split, and the two of them had laughed off Sam's embarrassment, which caused them to form a tighter knit bond than they shared before. Sam didn't know why he hadn't thought of Cas before.

"Cas, it Sam," he said as the other man picked up the phone.  
"Sam, just the person I wanted to talk to," Cas replied with a chuckle. "How are you?" Sam frowned slightly, wondering if Cas was psychic, or if Sam was just getting himself worked up over nothing. "I'm good thanks, and what do you mean?" He asked. He heard the dark haired man laugh down the line.

"Nothing, it's just a figure of speech. What's so urgent that you needed to call me when you're going to be seeing me at work in just a few hours?" Sam sighed, forgetting that Cas didn't know that he wasn't going to be at work that evening.  
"Two things, I'm not making it in tonight, got a lot on my mind, which in a roundabout way is the reason for me calling you. But if they ask at the club I'm ill. They don't need to know my business, so I'm trusting you to keep quiet about it, okay?" Sam knew he was probably being unnecessarily cagey, but he didn't want just anyone knowing about what transpired between him and Gabriel. He just hoped that the dancer would keep quiet as well.

"Whatever is said now will go no further," Cas intoned, and Sam almost heaved a sigh of relief, though he managed to check himself before he revealed to Cas just how worked up he was.  
"It's just that last night, after having a pretty bad shift on my part, I went out to the parking lot to get my car to head home, and Gabriel was there. We'd been hanging out a little bit after I gave him a place to crash that night it pissed it down because he'd left his keys in the club, and so I didn't think anything of him being out there. And then he gets so goddamn nervous and before I can say anything, he's stood up on his tiptoes and kissed me."

"What did you do then?" Cas prompted as Sam paused momentarily. He sighed.  
"I just fucking ran, man. I panicked. I mean, I'm straight, but you show a bit more interest in a guy as a friend and he suddenly has the urge to jump my bones. I know I did the wrong thing because I didn't give the poor guy a chance to explain, but I couldn't stand there and look at his hopeful face. He looked so blissfully happy for a moment, and now I just feel like an absolute dick. I could have at least explained myself."  
"And what would you have told Gabriel?" Cas asked. Sam thought for a moment before replying.  
"I would have told him that I'm not into men, wouldn't I?" he replied as if it was obvious. "But Gabriel's just so goddamn confusing and sometimes I feel these strange urges to just reach out and touch him and I swear dude, I don't swing that way." Cas laughed.  
"I don't doubt you for a second, Sam. But you gotta ask yourself, if you were one hundred percent straight, like you say, why does Gabriel affect you in such a way?"

* * *

Gabriel spent his afternoon being a huge girl. He read up on articles on how to get a guy to like you, and although he was despairing at the advice that was aimed more at females, he did gain a few pointers. Being unused to the situation of having to make the chase himself, he wanted to be ready if the situation ever did occur. Even though he had promised both himself and Cas that he would give Sam some time, he didn't know how long he would be able to make good on that promise. He also had another; conflicting part of him that wanted to drive him over to Sam's and grovel for forgiveness and a chance to explain. He knew it was a terrible idea, but he needed to see the younger man's face. He was glad that he would be able to see him later at the club, and he calmed himself with those thoughts as he started getting ready to leave.

When Gabriel arrived at the club, he was surprised to see that Sam's car was not in the lot. He was always one of the first to arrive, and Gabriel began to panic that something drastic had happened on Sam's drive home last night. All sorts of terrible situations were running through his head, and he was seriously considering throwing all caution to the wind and driving to Sam's, if it hadn't been for the fact that Castiel had just pulled into the parking lot. Gabriel waved the dark haired bartender over, and leant on the door of his car while he waited. Cas smirked slightly as he walked over, and Gabriel couldn't help but wonder what the other man knew that he himself did not.


End file.
